Mural Monday – Remembrance Day

Today is Remembrance Day—a day we gather at cenotaphs around the country to pay tribute to the people who have served our country in various wars. These include the First and Second World Wars, the Korean War and most recently the war in Afghanistan.

Since it’s Monday and the day I usually share murals anyway, I thought I’d share a few murals commemorating these wars that illustrate Canada’s part in them. These murals are all from the B.C. city of Vernon, which at one time had a military base on its outskirts. (By the way, Vernon has an amazing downtown mural walk if you like such things.)

The west and south-facing walls at 3203 – 32nd Street display a truly spectacular 300-foot mural. The images show Vernon’s participation in both WWI and WWII and depict the various armed forces. This is the west-facing wall.

World Wars Mural – west wall, 3203 – 32nd St. Vernon, B.C. (2001) by Michelle Loughery & company of artists

Detail – World Wars Mural – west wall – 3203 – 32nd St. Vernon, B.C.

Detail – World Wars Mural – west wall – 3203 – 32nd St. Vernon, B.C.

Detail – World Wars Mural – west wall – 3203 – 32nd St. Vernon, B.C.

The south-facing wall at 3203 – 32nd Street is a continuation of the grand 300-foot mural that shows Vernon’s participation in both WWI and WWII.

A whole street of buildings facing the cenotaph square in Vernon has paintings in memory of wartime. These can be viewed from Cenotaph Park – 31st Avenue and 30th Street. Again Michelle Loughery was the lead artist.

In Memory (1) mural, Vernon B.C. by Michelle Loughery

In Memory (2) mural, Vernon B.C. by Michelle Loughery

In Memory (3) mural, Vernon B.C. by Michelle Loughery

Finally we have the cenotaph itself, with its painted wall of poppies.

Cenotaph – Vernon B.C.

What a wonderful way to commemorate our soldiers, their bravery and sacrifice!